Therapy Dog Doesn't Stand Alone In Battle Against Cancer

CLEARWATER, FL — When Bella, a 6-year-old Chinese crested powderpuff, was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma her owners were devastated and so were the many children accustomed to seeing the plucky pooch at Clearwater’s East Library.

Hoping to save Bella, who is a therapy dog that also works with children in Madeira Beach and is a regular at several area nursing homes, Gary and Linda Fritts decided to go ahead with surgery. Earlier this year, doctors from BluePearl Veterinary Partners successfully removed a cancerous mass from Bella’s shoulder and spine. The procedure also required the amputation of her left front leg.

While the surgery went very well, BluePearl reports, the little dog isn’t out of the woods quite yet. She’s currently undergoing radiation therapy with Dr. Curtis Kane and has chemotherapy treatments coming up after that.

Since Bella and Gary have given so much to the community, the community is now giving a little back to the pair. The Sara F. Gassman Foundation has stepped in to help offset some of the costs of Bella’s care.

“It’s really amazing to watch when Gary and Bella visit the library,” said Marcia Gassman, one of the fund’s trustees. “The kids are always so excited to see her. It makes it so much more fun when they know they’ll be reading to a dog.”

Gary and Bella visit East Library and other Pinellas locations several times every month as representatives of the Paws for Friendship organization. At the library, they take part in the Doggone Reading Program.

Gary’s wife, Linda, and her dog Rico, a miniature Labradoodle, are also members of Paws for Friendship.

Gary said he was overwhelmed when he learned the foundation wanted to help pay for Bella’s cancer treatment.

“I just didn’t know what to say,” he said. “It was almost too much to take in.”

Kane said Bella has been responding well to treatment. Unlike humans, dogs experience few side effects from cancer therapy, he noted.

“Dogs are social animals,” Kane said. “They enjoy the car ride and they love meeting other people and other dogs.”

Linda agrees with Kane’s assessment.

Bella, Linda said, had her surgery on Jan. 14. Two weeks later her stitches came out and she returned to working with children at the library that very same day.

Linda and Gary first became involved with Paws for Friendship after Linda retired and she started volunteering with Rico. After seeing how much fun the two were having, Gary said he wanted his own dog, Linda told Patch. The couple rescued Bella a short time later and the rest is history, so to say.

Bella makes about eight therapy visits a month and Rico goes out about 10 times, Linda said.

“It’s just part of our life and it’s not a big commitment,” she said. “Once you start, you can’t stop.”

As for the support from the foundation and BluePearl, Linda said she’s happy to report Bella is doing very well. While she and Gary were originally hesitant to subject Bella to radiation, the odds of it working and giving Bella many more years of life to enjoy have made it worthwhile. Plus, she said, Bella seems to love the people at BluePearl and doesn’t seem to mind the treatments.

“They cuddle and play with her,” she said.

To find out more about Paws for Friendship, visit it online. To learn more about BluePearl, visit its website.

Photos courtesy of BluePearl

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